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More casting announced for Orphan Black

Bell Media’s SPACE, BBC America, and Temple Street Productions announced today that production has begun in Toronto on the highly-anticipated original drama series ORPHAN BLACK, shooting on location and in studio through February 12, 2013. The enthralling new scripted series co-created by Graeme Manson (Cube, FLASHPOINT) and John Fawcett (SPARTACUS, THE SECRET CIRCLE), stars previously announced Tatiana Maslany (Cas & Dylan, Picture Day) in the lead role of Sarah, an outsider and orphan whose life changes dramatically after assuming the identity of a dead stranger who looks just like her. Additional principal casting for the series includes Gemini Award-winner Maria Doyle Kennedy (THE TUDORS, DOWNTON ABBEY), Dylan Bruce (AS THE WORLD TURNS, THE BAY), and Jordan Gavaris (DEGRASSI, UNNATURAL HISTORY). The 10-episode, one-hour series is produced by Temple Street Productions for SPACE and BBC America, and is set to premiere in 2013.

In ORPHAN BLACK, after witnessing a woman’s suicide, Sarah assumes her identity hoping that cleaning out the dead woman’s bank account will solve all of her problems. Instead, she’s thrust headlong into a kaleidoscopic mystery. She makes the dizzying discovery that she and the dead woman are clones – but are they the only ones? With an assassin hot on her trail, Sarah is racing for answers.

“We are delighted to start production on this exciting new series,” said Corrie Coe, Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. “When we confirmed Tatiana as Sarah, we had one major piece of the puzzle, and now everything has fallen into place with the addition of this enthralling and passionate principal cast.”

“ORPHAN BLACK is a breakthrough show, creatively and technologically. We’re thrilled with the talented cast Temple Street Productions has assembled led by extraordinary young actress Tatiana Maslany. We can’t wait to launch this edge-of-your-seat thrill ride series,” said Perry Simon, General Manager, Channels, BBC Worldwide America.

“We’re very excited to be working with Graeme and John on bringing ORPHAN BLACK to the screen. Its become a passion project that just happens to touch upon the very timely topic of self-identity. When we began working on this series, we were driven by the quality of the writing and the scope of the themes,” said David Fortier, Executive Producer and Co-President, Temple Street Productions.

“Now we have a formidable cast, led by the unbelievably talented Tatiana Maslany, as well as three terrific partners in SPACE, BBC AMERICA, and BBC Worldwide, and a fantastic crew, whose commitment and enthusiasm are confirming our long-held belief that we have something special on our hands,” said Ivan Schneeberg, Executive Producer and Co-President, Temple Street Productions. “We couldn’t be happier or more proud.”

ORPHAN BLACK is executive produced by Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier (Being Erica), Graeme Manson (Cube, FLASHPOINT), and John Fawcett (SPARTACUS, THE SECRET CIRCLE). The series is co-created by Manson and Fawcett, with Manson also serving as writer and Fawcett as director. BBC Worldwide will distribute the series internationally.